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Firms 'have legal duty to protect those working at height'
Posted by Emily Jones
A reminder has been issued that firms have a legal obligation to protect the wellbeing of workers, including those operating at height.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) pointed out that such activity poses a significant danger to staff members and precautions must be taken in order to mitigate the possibility of falls.
Employees who are injured as a result of falls may be able to make a personal injury claim against the firm they work for.
The HSE's message came after the prosecution of a business which had been discovered to be putting the health and safety of workers in danger.
It was found that that staff members had been placed at risk of falls of up to five metres as a result of unsafe scaffolding.
"Falls from height remain the largest cause of fatal and serious injuries in the construction industry," HSE inspector Geoffrey Clark stated.
In 2007-08, a total of 58 people died in the UK as a result of incidents involving falls.
11/01/2010 15:40
News category: Accident and Injury